The H-60I Blackhawk helicopter and the pilots stress in the 7º/8º Aviation Group Missions

Abstract

Informal reports based on personal pilots experiences, at 7th Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (7°/8° GAv), hypothesizing that after the introduction of H-60L Blackhawk helicopter, a greater incidence of stress factors in operational situations, has arisen in spite of the high technology and safety of the new equipment This fact caused uneasiness and it was verified the relation between the 7°/8° GAv operational characteristics after the introduction of H-60L Blackhawk and the stress level perceived by the pilots while in mission, therefore a scientific research was raised. This research was divided in two phases: the first one, with the purpose of surveying what were the operational changes introduced by the new helicopter while the second phase a questionnaire was applied. For that purpose, it was collected the profile of missions lead by the 7°/8° GAv before and after the implantation of the H-60L Blackhawk. It has surveyed the pilots stress perception in missions that used to be accomplished before the new ones. Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome Theory (1956) and Albrecht’s Situational Stress Theory (1979) were the base for this work. Finally, after analyzing the data it was concluded that there were influences on the pilots stress level by the operational characteristics of the 7°/8° GAv, acquired after the introduction of H-60L Blackhawk.